JACKSONVILLE – Let’s get down to business…

Tim from Jacksonville Beach, FL

You always play it safe when you talk about the Jaguars’ offensive line and say things like, “They’re OK in this area, but they’re not OK in that.” Why not just say they stink?

People ask questions in this forum and – as you might expect in a largely disappointing 2-9 season – those questions often admonish the lead writer. I answer these questions out of a fundamental love for my fellow human beings and a more fundamental need for survival. The task here is neither to say that something is “great” (unless it is the lead author) nor that it “stinks” (unless it is the lead author). Rather, the goal is to at least somewhat explain why the Jaguars act the way they do, and the reason I’m not saying the Jaguars’ offensive line “stinks” is because, in many ways, it doesn’t a terrible offensive line. The group has blocked passes well this season. Actually better than OK. It blocked OK for the run at times. Where it has fallen short in any aspect in recent seasons is blocking for the run in short distances and situations where a run is necessary. The Jaguars routinely struggle to get first downs on third and fourth-and-short. While these are tough losses for most NFL teams, the Jaguars’ problems in this area are so pronounced that the problem impacts the offense as a whole. It’s debilitating. When teams don’t have to bunch up the line of scrimmage to stop the run, your passing game becomes significantly less effective. It limits any play-calling. And so forth. So does the offensive line stink? Not really. But in this area it’s hard to argue that it was anywhere near good enough.

Michael from Orange Park, FL

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence practiced on a limited basis Wednesday after missing the last two weeks before last Sunday’s bye with a left shoulder injury. I expect him to start for the Jaguars against the Houston Texans on Sunday at EverBank Stadium. That’s a guess. It’s just a guess.

Kei from Kitakyushu, Japan

Criticism of Trevor’s performance is one thing, although I suspect this is more about observing statistics than anything else. But people saying he isn’t that talented or doesn’t have the “elite quarterback” genes is crazy talk. He could have been legally blind before the 2021 NFL Draft and someone still would have taken a pass on him in the first two rounds. He was highly praised for a reason – and the team that drafted him had the first overall pick for a reason.

Lawrence is undoubtedly talented. He still has a lot of work to do to reach elite status. While many readers may balk at the idea, that doesn’t mean he’s “shit,” nor does it make him a lost cause. This means that he is doing well and that he is still developing.

Mike from Back in Atlanta, GA

The hatred of Trevor Lawrence has reached absurd proportions. Didn’t we see Mac Jones play? Don’t we notice how much faster and farther the ball travels when Lawrence throws it? You can’t teach that. Either you have it or you don’t. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen an arm like this live here. When something goes wrong for him, it’s usually a decision-making process. The ball is not adequately protected while running. He misses sometimes, but with everyone – even the best. I still think there are some short throws right in front of him with a little too much heat. But these are supposed to be fixable problems. There are times when you watch a bad game and no one is open, people are dropping balls, or the pass protection is breaking down. And he had to work for long stretches without the most reliable receivers on the field. I don’t know if he’ll be as good as Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, but he’s far from the bottom of the list. Very far.

Jonathan from Jax Beach earlier

Anyone who says that a player who is average to below average is still developing obviously doesn’t understand the NFL. What they really are are extremely happy people who may be playing for an equally complacent owner and manager.

“…the NFL clearly doesn’t understand.”

Hello, John. I’ve been seeing more and more national stories about trading TL this offseason and starting over completely. They are selecting a new coaching staff and a rookie quarterback in this year’s draft. I have a few questions for you as I would like to hear your thoughts on this. What capital would you need to trade TL? Can the Jags afford to take the cap hit on TL’s contract? Do you think it’s even a possibility? I for one say absolutely not and every new general manager and head coach should have a plan to build and win with TL.

I have absolutely no feeling that a Lawrence trade can, will, should or would happen. I expect Lawrence to be the Jaguars’ quarterback for the foreseeable future.

I think Jaguars owner Shad Khan is more forgiving than some other owners, but he’s taken issue with his preseason comments noting that this is the best team in franchise history and his not-so-subtle commentary about it Who should decide the moves was somehow cornered. Pederson then took the play-calling controversy to elementary school level by not revealing who the play-caller was, and spent the entire year treating the media, and by extension the fans, like impudent toddlers. He made some truly bizarre decisions in the game, hiring the defensive coordinator to run the defense from ’17 onwards^Th total to 30^Th. I don’t see any such scenario in which Pederson keeps his job and can only hope that when Khan asks for a reason for his firing he refuses by telling him he wouldn’t understand anyway.

A recurring truth about the NFL is that there is no guarantee of regime change until an owner announces a decision. A recurring truth about Khan in particular is that he won’t make a head coach decision based solely on something Khan said before the season. Remember, just because something is popular opinion online doesn’t mean it is true.

Am I the only one who doesn’t want head coach Doug Pederson fired? He is a good coach. It’s not his fault that general manager Trent Baalke can’t put together an offensive line and find enough talent to compete with the best teams.

One for Pederson and not for Baalke, it seems.

I thought I wouldn’t care about this season anymore, but apparently I was wrong. The reason? I’m not sure I want the team to win some games, but I also want to see a new general manager and coaching staff. I realize that these two desires aren’t necessarily related, but I’ve gotten to the point where I just can’t imagine another season where the Jaguars can’t function as a football team, and it seems that we need to improve the front office and coaching staff.

One definitely not for anyone.

James from Saint Augustine, FL

Let’s dream for a moment: The Jags win, the Texans lose. Both teams are tied 8:9. Who will win the division? (Sounds crazy, but have you looked at the Texans’ schedule? It’s brutal)

If the Jaguars win and the Texans lose, the Jaguars would finish ahead of the Texans with a record of 8-9, compared to Houston’s 7-10.

Nicholas from Fort Cavazos, TX

KOAF: Doesn’t firing coaches and managers in the middle of the season make potential hires more inclined to take the job if they know they won’t be fired in the middle of the season, or does it not matter at all?

John, what happens if the Jags win on Sunday and beat Tennessee on the road? What if it’s 6-0? How does this shape the offseason? I love a good story!!!

The narratives in the NFL are changing quickly. They change dramatically from one week to the next and even more dramatically over six weeks.

JK from NY and Fernandina Beach, FL

John – Even in this disappointing season, there are still things to be thankful for about the Jaguars. Here are five: 1. Trevor has the heart of a champion and his NFL skills aren’t at their peak yet, his best seasons could be ahead of him. 2. Fred Taylor, Tony Boselli and Jeff Lageman are the living history of a young franchise bringing insight, entertainment and fun to Jag Radio. 3. The stadium of the future will be amazing and give us 30 more years of Jax Jags. 4. Wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and linebacker Ventrell Miller are developing into impact players of the future. 5. Teal jerseys (every now and then). Thanks to you too, Johnny O’ – Happy Thanksgiving Zone!

This is a good list. Happy Thanksgiving.